Chapter 8: A Fallen Star

“It’s me, the hero.”

What a joke.

I clearly won’t become that kind of person.

Rather, it’s almost embarrassing to even compare.

And, it’s even more unpleasant because he was the one who saved my life.

Thud thud.

Late at night, when everyone except the guards on duty was asleep.

Yujin wandered through the garden, organizing his thoughts.

Eventually, I’ll leave this place and head to the battlefield of Ravenscourt territory. 

To do that, I need basic physical abilities.

At this point, I had long since given up on magic and focused mainly on physical training.

My combat style isn’t that of a rear-support mage.

Trying to wield divine swordsmanship without even having a proper body is like bringing a bow without arrows.

The foundation of all swordsmanship is recognizing mana and drawing it from within the dantian.

Those who have swung swords until now couldn’t have been unaware of this. 

There’s a reason why they all failed.

In fact, establishing the basic qualities of this circuit is simple, but everyone struggles to develop their individuality. 

After all, not everyone has the same circuit.

If one’s natural talent is so exceptional that such an establishment isn’t necessary, it would be far better to become a mage.

Every time I think about it, I understand just how remarkable the person who taught me was.

I also understand why noble families compete so fiercely to secure good knights. 

Finding a truly skilled knight is no easy task.

However, Yujin didn’t learn swordsmanship in that way.

What taught Yujin swordsmanship wasn’t a wooden sword, a professor from some school, or armored knights.

It was the blade that nearly took his life, the arrows filled with killing intent, and the sword of an outstanding hero.

In his younger days, Yujin wandered the mercenary streets, living from contract to contract.

Then, while working as a porter and climbing a back road, he encountered a monster.

At that moment, Yujin saw his life flash before his eyes.

The scent of blood so close, the desperate will to survive.

He forcibly connected the circuits, channeling mana. 

That was the first moment he truly understood what “swordsmanship” was.

Normally, circuits don’t go through a stage of “recognition.”

It’s more like pouring water from a bucket and letting it flow along a path.

But Yujin’s method of manipulating mana was so unconventional that, to others, it would seem like a dangerous tightrope act.

“…”

Yujin recalled Yuria’s always worried expression, then absentmindedly touched the spot where his ring used to be and walked away.

‘Will it still be there now?’

It was then.

“Young master, can’t sleep?”

In front of the church.

A woman’s voice came from the doorway.

It seems I wandered here without thinking.

But there’s something strange…

‘…It feels like the treatment has suddenly improved.’

Since that day, the clothes I wear and the food I eat have changed.

I scratched my head at this.

Ravenscourt, hero.

The family head clearly said that.

Which means he must have seen some talent in me or figured something out.

‘Maybe he mistook me for a hero…’

I rested my chin on my hand.

He definitely called me a hero.

Perhaps he wants to test me before sending me to the Ravenscourt family.

Come to think of it, when he mentioned wisdom and magic, it seemed like he was expecting the power of a hero.

The sudden display of strength must be the reason.

Finishing that train of thought, I narrowed my eyes.

‘…Anyway, the person I was looking for was also a hero, so it’s fine.’

I was actually close to being a hero myself.

“What brings you here?”

Seeing me standing silently, lost in thought, the woman tilted her head and took a step closer to ask.

I took a step back and added,

“I just came out for some fresh air.”

Suddenly, the woman’s figure, illuminated by the moonlight, caught my eye.

Neatly dressed in a nun’s habit, she stood with her hands clasped demurely.

“If that’s the case, you’re welcome to come inside for a while.”

At this, my eyebrow twitched.

At first, I wasn’t sure, but…

Was it this woman?

The one who ignored me from start to finish when I first arrived here.

I know this kind of treatment isn’t normal. 

She must be a noble, albeit a low-ranking one.

“Are you in charge here?”

“Yes. Although I receive help from a few others, I am currently managing it alone.”

“…Not even a single maid.”

“If you come inside, it becomes a private space. If there’s anything you desire, I can help you to the best of my ability. If you wish… I can even offer some comfort.”

“Comfort.”

My gaze turned toward her.

Her eyes curved into a smile.

“I know your relationship with Lady Yuria has become distant.

They say nobles and commoners should never be together, right?”

“…So, you’re offering to do that?”

“Yes. If you’re lonely, I can even serve as your plaything.”

Is this how a nun should act?

This is more like a succubus or a brothel prostitute.

I despise such types. 

The person who taught me warned me never to get close to women like that.

Moreover, as soon as I saw that smile, my mana wavered. 

It must be some kind of bewitching eye.

I didn’t see it in my past life, but such families could exist. 

I won’t let my guard down.

“I appreciate the offer. But you don’t need to concern yourself with me.”

“……?”

For a moment, confusion flashed across the nun’s face.

She froze for a moment, then reached out to stop me as I walked away.

“W-wait.”

But I roughly shook off her hand and turned my head.

“I said I don’t need it.”

////

“Family Head. It seems the plan has been discovered.”

In the neatly organized office.

The family head furrowed his brow.

“Oh? So he really is…”

To test him, they even sent someone they had kept hidden until now.

But it seems he cleanly refused and sent her back.

Her expression wasn’t good. 

I offered to comfort him in the private space… but as soon as he saw me, he pushed me away and left…

“…Did you use the bewitching eye?”

“Of course I did. A lot. I used it as soon as our eyes met…”

“And?”

“It didn’t work at all. Even when I grabbed him, he coldly pushed me away and left.”

The family head let out a hollow laugh upon hearing this.

He was now certain that his judgment hadn’t been wrong.

‘…It seems he truly has received the hero’s crest.’

Refusing such a woman at his age is nearly impossible.

He ignored both a peerless beauty and a bewitching eye.

If that’s the case, then that man is unnecessary for Yuria.

Finishing his thoughts, the family head closed the daily report.

“If there’s nothing else, you may leave.”

“…Yes.”

“And call the altar’s attendant. We will begin the ritual for Yuria.”

“?”

“It’s memory erased.”

////

Bang!

As Yujin burst through the mansion’s door, the servants waiting in the front hall were startled.

It was just dawn. 

The cool morning air still lingered in the mansion’s entrance as the man strode in without warning. 

It was hard not to be surprised by his sudden appearance.

“Working hard so early in the morning.”

“W-what brings you here…”

“I have urgent business.”

Yujin casually walked past the servants and headed straight for Yuria’s office.

After the incident where he beat Amon, rumors spread like wildfire within the mansion, and now no one dared to stop him.

He was one of the few humans acknowledged by the Grand Duke.

As he made his way to Yuria’s room, he pulled out a wand.

Immediately, a cold water droplet formed in the air, growing to the size of his body. 

He levitated it effortlessly.

As expected of Amon’s wand.

It’s incredibly useful. 

Selling this could buy a few mansions.

Ignoring the servants’ anxious and worried glances, he pushed open the office door.

Creak.

Perhaps she hadn’t slept last night. 

Yuria was slumped over her desk, asleep.

Her glossy hair cascaded down, and her left hand, adorned with a ring, peeked out from the strands.

“…”

When did she start wearing that?

Was it still there?

I dismissed the enlarged water droplet and lightly tapped the table.

Tap tap.

Startled by the sudden noise, Yuria woke up.

Her eyes met Yujin’s.

As usual, he wore a shirt and pants. 

A familiar sight to her. 

The only difference was… his changed gaze.

“…Why did you come?”

“I need to talk.”

Yuria struggled to sit up.

Her neatly arranged hair spilled over her shoulders. 

Her lace dress slipped slightly, revealing her pale skin, and her eyes showed clear signs of exhaustion.

“No. I have things to do this morning…”

“It’s fine. It won’t take long.”

“…?”

“I want to do something worthy of you.”

Her body stiffened as she tried to rise.

“…What?”

“I now think you were right.”

“…”

“…That nobles and commoners can never be together.”

“What… what are you suddenly talking about?”

“I wanted to say this before I leave.”

I didn’t bother to counter Yuria’s following words.

To understand her thoughts, I had to do this.

“And one more thing. What’s this? Why did you keep it?”

Yujin strode toward Yuria, who was still at the table.

He lifted her left hand.

There was a ring on it.

Yuria, still half-seated, looked up at Yujin.

“T-this…”

“Why were you so obsessed with the family head’s position? Why did you ignore me to this extent?”

“…Don’t ask.”

“No, I need an answer. At least for the time I spent.”

“…What do I even have?”

“What?”

“Magic… you… the family… if I forget everything… what do I have left…? If I lose you too… then…”

“I can’t even keep my memories…I…What…Am I…?”

Finally, Yuria spoke with red-rimmed eyes.

Yujin was momentarily speechless, then quietly placed his hand over hers.

“It was the Hexagram, right? Definitely.”

“…”

“You worked hard on it.”

“…”

The magic circle she always used. 

When casting spells, the Hexagram isn’t typically used. 

It’s inefficient and more for beginners.

The Hexagram she drew was delicate and beautiful, but always incomplete.

Unfinished.

Most of the Hexagrams she showed were like that. 

If the lines were perfect, the colors were lacking; if the colors were beautiful, the lines weren’t fully drawn.

As if she had forgotten how to draw at some point.

“Yujin… stay by my side.”

The final answer.

But I drew a line.

“I don’t want to see you anymore, nor do I want to stay by your side.”

“Yujin…”

“It’s already over. No lingering feelings. I just came to ask something.”

“..”

“You said you forgot. Yet, you didn’t even apologize.”

“…”

“And about that Hexagram.”

“…”

“You don’t need to draw it anymore.”

“…Why…?”

“Hah.”

I let out a hollow laugh.

“After ignoring and discarding me, you sure have a lot to say.”

“…It’s not like that…”

“Then what is it?”

“It was… for your sake… I wanted you to understand…”

“For my sake?”

Yujin was dumbfounded and pressed his forehead.

Heat surged through his head.

“Don’t make me laugh.”

Yuria clenched her trembling hands and retorted.

“The memories we shared…! All of them, all of them… I’ll lose them… How… what am I supposed to do…? I… I don’t want to forget you…”

“…”

“I’ll lose them…”

“Do you… want me to forget you?”

Yujin let out a hollow laugh.

Her greatest fear was forgetting me.

Nothing could be more terrifying to her.

Having spent her life alone, she must have had many thoughts.

But,

There’s one thing I need to make clear.

“You only ever thought about yourself.”

“…What?”

“But you were right about one thing.”

“…”

“You said we’d regret it if we stayed together, right?”

“…”

“I think I’m regretting it now.”

Yuria, wiping away her tears, continued.

“If I forget you…! What am I supposed to do then…?”

“…”

“Left alone again… what am I supposed to do…?”

I questioned.

Is she worried about me?

Or is she worried about being left alone?

I let out a long sigh.

“…Even if you forget me, I would have cherished you.”

“…”

At those words, Yuria’s face turned pale.

Her thoughts stopped, and her heart sank heavily.

Only now did Yuria begin to realize what she had done.

Too late, she understood.

Just how much he had been hurt.

When she first met him, crying, he had approached her kindly, expecting nothing in return.

…Why did I think he wouldn’t come back?

Only after hurting him so deeply did I realize…

As this realization dawned, tears welled up in Yuria’s eyes.

It wasn’t just sadness.

It was a regret for what she had done.

Unknowingly, she had always thought of him.

The blurry scenes she had only seen in dreams were now gone.

The emotions she thought had dulled now swirled in a complex storm.

Yuria was confused.

She had no idea what to say at this moment.

The words she had always taken for granted no longer formed properly.

She feared he would get angry. She feared he would hate her even more, and tears welled up.

And soon,

“On the other hand, you forgot about me.”

“…What?”

“No matter what happened to me, you ignored me until I was battered and broken. In the end, it’s the same.”

“…”

“You were afraid of forgetting me in your memories?”

“…”

“You had already forgotten me. Buried deep in a corner of your heart.”

“…Yujin. Give me… give me another chance… Just once, please… I can… I can do better… We can start over, right…?”

Yujin shook his head.

But Yuria, undeterred, grabbed his arm.

“I’ve… made so many mistakes, but… I, I’ll only think of you now… I didn’t… I didn’t know… I, I… Sob… I… I’ll never forget you… I won’t ignore you…”

Yujin removed her hand from his arm and spoke.

“…It’s too late.”

“I… I love you… Just wait a little longer… Really… just a little more time.”

“I’ve already seen a lifetime with you. You never… looked back at me, not even once.”

“…”

“Tomorrow, I’ll leave by carriage.”

I left the office, leaving Yuria in despair.

Yuria, in the spot where he had disappeared, shed tears with empty eyes.

She couldn’t say anything.

He didn’t answer.

He left after a few short words.

As if that was all he had to say to her.

Yuria sat alone in the room, reaching out toward the empty space where he had vanished.

She couldn’t yet accept the reality that had befallen her.

“…Tell me it’s a lie.”

She spoke to him, who was no longer there.

“It’s a dream, right?”

Despair clouded her vision.

“Everything…. Everything……….”

“…”

Yuria couldn’t understand his sudden departure.

No,

In truth, she understood.

Even if she didn’t want to… she had already realized the meaning of this in her mind.

The period.

In her heart, she wanted to open the door and beg for forgiveness.

To say she was wrong, to ask for another chance.

Just once, to go back to how things were.

But the reason she couldn’t do that was because she felt she no longer had the opportunity.

Moreover, what if resentment flickered in his eyes…?

Yuria truly felt the fear that this time, he might forget her.

“…Ah.”

And so.

With a pained expression, she said nothing.

She could only accept his farewell.